SID rejects criticism of action against speaker

By Rich Chang / Staff reporter

Wed, Sep 11, 2013 - Page 3

The Special Investigation Division (SID) of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office yesterday defended itself against accusations that Prosecutor-General Huang Shih-ming (黃世銘) had broken the law by reporting allegations of influence peddling involving Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) before the investigation had finished.

The SID said it did not reveal any inappropriate information and that prosecutors can talk about cases involving public affairs, citing as an example the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28 case, in which a Taiwanese fisherman was allegedly killed by Philippine Coast Guard personnel in May.

The Ministry of Justice had talked about the content of the investigations into the case at two separate press conferences before the Pingtung District Prosecutors’ Office closed the case, it said.

It is legal and appropriate for Huang to report to the president since it was an administrative investigation and not a criminal case, the SID said.

Meanwhile, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said it has assigned Chang Chieh-chin (張介欽) as the prosecutor in the case filed by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politicians against Huang and the SID accusing them of illegally monitoring DPP legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming’s (柯建銘) telephone communications and leaking the content of its investigation to Ma.

The investigation will be handled in accordance with the law, the office said.